Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Red Yosonoma’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Red Yosonoma’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant habit; strong and vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dark green-colored foliage; uniform, freely and early flowering habit; daisy-type inflorescences with cherry red-colored ray florets; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Red Yosonoma’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Chrysanthemum Plant Named ‘Pink Yosonoma’ U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/283,270. Applicant: Wendy R. Bergman.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium, commercially grown as a pot-type Chrysanthemum and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Red Yosonoma’.

The new Chrysanthemum is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar ‘Yosonoma’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,860. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor in a controlled greenhouse environment as a single flowering plant within a population of plants of ‘Yosonoma’ in December, 2005, in Fort Myers, Fla.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by vegetative tip cuttings was first conducted in a controlled greenhouse environment in Fort Myers, Fla. in March, 2006. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Red Yosonoma’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Red Yosonoma’ as a new and distinct pot-type Chrysanthemum cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant         habit.     -   2. Strong and vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Dark green-colored foliage.     -   5. Uniform, freely and early flowering habit.     -   6. Daisy-type inflorescences with cherry red-colored ray         florets.     -   7. Excellent postproduction longevity with inflorescences         maintaining good substance and color for about five to six weeks         in an interior environment.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the parent, ‘Yosonoma’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower more uniformly than         plants of ‘Yosonoma’.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and ‘Yosonoma’ differ in ray         floret color as plants of ‘Yosonoma’ have purple-colored ray         florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Pink Yosonoma’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application No. 12/283,270, primarily in ray floret color as plants of ‘Pink Yosonoma’ have light purple-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Red Yoauburn’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,007. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Fort Myers, Fla., plants of the new Chrysanthemum primarily from plants of ‘Red Yoauburn’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more outwardly spreading         than and not as upright as plants of ‘Red Yoauburn’.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered about one week later         than plants of ‘Red Yoauburn’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Chrysanthemum. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Chrysanthemum.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of typical flowering plants of ‘Red Yosonoma’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘Red Yosonoma’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Leamington, Ontario, Canada during the late spring in a glass-covered greenhouse and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial pot-type Chrysanthemum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 24° C., night temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 17° C. and light levels ranged from 4,000 to 6,000 foot candles. Four unrooted cuttings were directly stuck in 15-containers, exposed to long day/short night conditions, and pinched about three weeks later. At the time of the pinch, the photoinductive short day/long night treatments were started. Plants used in the photographs and for the description had been growing for eleven weeks and were grown as spray-types. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Red Yosonoma’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of     Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Yosonoma’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat.     No. 17,860. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About four days at temperatures of             21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About ten days at             temperatures of 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine to thick, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance.—Herbaceous daisy pot-type Chrysanthemum             typically grown as a natural spray type. Stems upright and             outwardly spreading giving a uniformly mounded appearance to             the plant. Freely branching habit, about five to six lateral             branches develop after removal of terminal apex (pinching);             dense and full plant habit. Strong and vigorous growth             habit.         -   Plant height.—About 26 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 24 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 21.5 cm. Diameter: About             4 mm. Internode length: About 2.7 cm. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Pubescent; longitudinally ridged. Color: Close to             147B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 7.2 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.8 cm.         -   Shape.—Palmately lobed.         -   Apex.—Cuspidate.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Palmately lobed, sinuses between lateral lobes             parallel.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Fine pubescence; veins             prominent on lower surface.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation,             close to 146B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 147B; venation, close to 147C.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 147B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescence form with elongated             oblong-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on terminals             above foliage. Disc and ray florets arranged acropetally on             a capitulum. Typically grown as a spray-type.         -   Fragrance.—Not detected.         -   Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plants flower             in the autumn/winter in the Northern Hemisphere. At other             times of the year, inflorescence initiation and development             can be induced under short day/long night conditions (at             least 13.5 hours of darkness). Early flowering habit; plants             exposed to three weeks of long day/short night conditions             followed by photoinductive short day/long night conditions             flower about nine weeks later.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color             and substance for about five to six weeks in an interior             environment; inflorescences persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering, about six to             seven inflorescences develop per lateral stem.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 1.6 cm. Diameter: About             1.1 cm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Slightly more grey than N79B.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 7.6 cm. Depth (height):             About 3 cm. Diameter of disc: About 1.3 cm. Receptacle             height: About 9 mm. Receptacle diameter: About 2 cm.             Receptacle color: Close to 137A.         -   Ray florets.—Shape: Elongated oblong. Orientation: Initially             upright, with development, close to 55° to 65° from             vertical. Aspect: Reflexed. Length: About 4.2 cm. Width:             About 8 mm. Apex: Emarginate or acute. Base: Attenuate;             short corolla tube. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Number of ray florets             per inflorescence: About 46 arranged in about three whorls.             Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 60A. When             opening, lower surface: Close to 186A. Fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 60B to 60C; color does not fade with             development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 186C to             186D; color does not fade with development.         -   Disc florets.—Arrangement: Massed at center of receptacle.             Shape: Tubular, elongated. Apex: Five-pointed. Length: About             6 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Number of disc florets per             inflorescence: About 230. Color, immature: Apex: Close to             151A. Mid-section: Close to 145C. Base: Close to 145B.             Color, mature: Apex: Close to 1A. Mid-section: Close to             145C. Base: Close to 145B.         -   Phyllaries.—Number of phyllaries per inflorescence: About 24             arranged in about two whorls. Length: About 8 mm. Width:             About 2 mm. Shape: Narrowly elliptical. Apex: Acute. Base:             Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth,             glabrous; waxy. Texture, lower surface: Pubescent. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6.7 cm to 7.4 cm. Diameter: About             3 mm. Angle: About 45° from vertical. Strength: Strong,             flexible. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 147B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Filament length: About 1.5 mm. Filament color: Close             to 157D. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: About 2 mm.             Anther color: Close to 3A. Pollen amount: None observed.             Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc florets. Pistil             length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color:             Close to 3A. Style length: About 3 mm. Style color: Close to             150C. Ovary color: Close to 155D.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Chrysanthemums has not been observed on plants grown under     commercial conditions. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum tolerate     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 38° C. 

1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Red Yosonoma’ as illustrated and described. 